Just One of Those Moments
by Flashing The Floods
Summary: Castiel's parents blow off a visit. He's sad. Really sad. Nathaniel helps? Not slash. Though it probably should be xP


For the past week, Castiel had been in an unusually good mood. He hadn't skipped any classes, uttered anything sarcastic, and actually made up the detention he'd skipped last week. Most Sweet Amoris students found this strange (particularly a certain student body president), but there was a very logical explanation for all of this: his parents were coming to visit. True, Castiel was content with his independent life, but he missed them sometimes. And sometimes had become frequently in the past couple of months. It'd been approximately a year since the redhead had seen his parents, unless you counted the occasional photo via text message or email. So who could blame him? But of course, this week was different. They were going to fly in on Friday and stay for the weekend. Or so he thought…

Thursday afternoon Castiel casually sat on the steps leading upstairs, spending his lunch break listening to his iPod and munching on Doritos. "Hey, you're not smoking down there again, are you?" The irritable question of the student body president was heard over the music, and the redhead looked back to see Nathaniel at the top of the staircase. "Nope," answered Castiel simply. The blonde blinked, as though he'd expected a different response. Which he probably had, of course. But the redhead wasn't going to call him out on the false accusation today. He was in too good of a mood to bother. "Well, good." Nathaniel trotted down the stairs, but to Castiel's surprise he didn't continue on down the hallway. "So, you're on your lunch break, right?"

The redhead quirked an eyebrow but nodded, munching on another handful of Doritos. "Could you do me a favor? I know it's not your thing, but I've got some other things to take care of, and the basketball net in the gym is frayed. It needs replacing. There's a spare in the equipment room along with a ladder, and it's fitting you do it since you're in the club. There aren't any other members around, and it's not as if you're doing anything pressing…" Nathaniel looked skeptical as he spoke, but asked nonetheless. Castiel sighed. "Okay fine, but let me finish my Doritos." The other teen tilted his head, his gaze disbelieving "Oh. Um, thanks." Castiel smirked. "You're just lucky you caught me in a nice mood." He finished off the bag of corn chips and stood, crinkling up the bag and tossing it into a hallway wastebasket as he walked past the confused blonde.

The redhead slipped into the equipment room behind the gym and glanced around for the net, spotting it against the wall. He sauntered over and leaned down to grab it, phone falling out of his pocket as he did so. "Eh?" Castiel blinked, the screen flashing with a new message alert. He picked it up and stood again, opening the message.

'hi sweetie, sorry but dad and i can't make it. goin to a wedding. next time, k? :)'

Castiel stared at the words for a long moment, a knot forming in his throat. He leaned back against the wall and sank into a sit. 'Yeah ok,' he responded, then shoving the phone into his pocket. Though Castiel momentarily willed himself not to succumb to the distress of this news, he buried his face in his arms and started to cry. Which was stupid, of course. Children cried, women cried. Both of which he was neither…But…It hurt. His mother and father had been planning for a week to come and see him for the first time in a year, and were now blowing him off to go to a wedding. And they didn't even call about it…It was upsetting, saddening, disappointing, and offensive all rolled into one. And yet, still not surprising. Once again, his parents had proven they didn't really give a shit. So Castiel cried, taking a little comfort in the fact no one was around to see it…Or so he thought…

"And of course the frayed net's still out there," Nathaniel grumbled to himself as he stepped into the equipment room. "Just goes to show you, if you want something done right, you do it yourself. Or let anyone aside from that lazy, careless prick-" The blonde broke off at the sight of the sobbing redhead, eyes widening. Castiel lifted his head, looking back at Nathaniel a moment, and then silently standing. He stepped forward and wordlessly buried his face in the blonde's shoulder, quiet sobs even quieter as they were muffled by the other teen's shirt. Nathaniel stiffened and froze in bafflement.

"Castiel…?"

"Shut up!"

Nathaniel shut up, but he was more so stunned into silence than he was obeying the choked command. He had no idea what was going on….Castiel was crying. Castiel was crying _on_ _him_. This was one of those Twilight Zone moments. Even so, the blonde didn't follow his first instinct to push him away. Instead, he lifted a hand and wordlessly rested it on the back of Castiel's head, heaving a soft sigh and allowing the redhead to sob freely. The warm wetness where the tears soaked into his shirt was highly unwelcome, but it was hardly worthy of attention at the moment. The redhead's quiet sobs softened to sniffles, which softened to nothing. When they ceased, there was just silence. Neither student moved.

"Um…" Nathaniel attempted to break the silence, but he couldn't find any words to say. Castiel grunted in response and pulled back, wiping the wet streaks from his face with his sleeve. "If you ever bring this up again, or tell anyone else about this, I'm gonna kill you, rip out your fucking intestines, and use those to fix the goddamn basketball net. Got that, ?" Castiel turned on his heel and quickly stalked off without waiting for a response. The blonde stared after him, no less dumbfounded than before. He sighed heavily and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Now I'm behind schedule."


End file.
